There's been a drop-off in global early-stage startup funding over the past year, according to a report from Delta Partners. That's partly down to the rise of corporate venture funds, which are putting more money into "big bets" such as Uber and office sharing company WeWork. SoftBank has been the biggest driver of this trend with its $100 billion Vision Fund. Early-stage startups are finding it tougher to raise money as funders become more risk-averse. When Business Insider recently asked one prominent European fund manager what he thought about SoftBank, he raised his eyebrows and said: "It's a spaceship."